Shell, who hasn't been a head coach since the Raiders fired him following the 1994 season, first talked to owner Al Davis about taking the job last week and emerged as the leading candidate after Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt told the team he didn't want the job.

Shell, the first black head coach in modern NFL history, becomes the seventh currently in the league. Of the 10 openings this offseason, the only other black coach hired was Herman Edwards, who was traded from the New York Jets to the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 59-year-old Shell met most of Friday with Davis and other team officials and formally will be introduced at a news conference today.

Oakland has been without a coach since Turner was fired Jan. 3, giving Shell little time to put together a staff and set his offseason priorities before the scouting combine begins Feb. 22.

Shell takes over a Raiders team that has struggled mightily since going to the Super Bowl following the 2002 season. The Raiders won just 13 games the last three years.

Shell had a winning record in four of his five complete seasons. The Raiders have had only three winning seasons since his firing.